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The Nittany Lions' victory over Wis- consin in the Big Ten Championship Game was historic not only for the foot- ball program, but also for Penn State In- tercollegiate Athletics. With head coach James Franklin guid- ing the Nittany Lions to their first con- ference title since 2008, the win also marked Penn State's 100th Big Ten championship or tournament title since winning its first in 1992. Penn State's initial Big Ten title was delivered by the women's volleyball squad, which claimed the first of its 16 conference crowns during the 1992-93 academic year, one year after some Penn State sports began competing in the league. Full integration of all Penn State sports sponsored by the Big Ten did not occur until 1994, when the women's soc- cer team became the last PSU squad to begin conference competition. Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State are the only conference institutions that have won at least 100 Big Ten titles since 1992-93. Penn State's 38-31 win over Wisconsin in Indianapolis marked the fourth Big Ten championship for the football pro- gram and its first undisputed conference title since the 1994 squad went 8-0. The Nittany Lions were victorious in Lucas Oil Stadium in their first appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game since it began in 2011. Since the fall of 2012, Penn State's 27 Big Ten championships or tournament titles are second in the conference to Michigan's 29. The Nittany Lions won a school-record eight Big Ten crowns in 2012-13 and matched that mark in 2013- 14. Penn State won five Big Ten champi- onships last year and has captured three so far in 2016-17. Two Penn State programs are among the five most successful among all Big Ten teams with regard to winning con- ference championships. The Nittany Lion women's soc- cer team, the 2015 NCAA champion, has won 18 Big Ten crowns, good for a tie for third-most among all conference teams. The Penn State women's volleyball squad has captured 16 Big Ten titles, and seven NCAA cham- pionships, to rank No. 5 among all con- ference teams. The Wisconsin men's cross country and Michigan women's gymnastics squads have won 20 Big Ten titles since 1992-93 to lead all teams, and the Michi- gan softball team has won 18 to tie Penn State women's soccer for third. Since 1992-93, the Nittany Lions' 29 NCAA championships are easily the most among Big Ten institutions. Mary- land is second with 21, followed by Ne- braska and Ohio State with 13. ■ excuse to miss class. The first tent, I woke them up. I went down, took pic- tures, had a lot of fun, let people know how much we appreciate their support. Our players went the next morning. A lot of different sports teams did, deliv- ering breakfast sandwiches, donuts. It's a special place, there's no doubt about it." In the wake of the Lions' victory in Indianapolis, Franklin was announced as the Big Ten Coach of the Year by The Associated Press, and the national Coach of the Year by The Sporting News and the AP. In addition, he is one of nine finalists for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, with the winner set to be announced on Jan. 11. And he is one of five finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award, which is given out by the Football Writers Association of American and will be announced on Jan. 7. Franklin said he felt "appreciative and blessed" in the wake of Penn State's breakthrough regular season. "I love walking into that locker room," he said. "I love going to practice every single day with these guys. I love the men that I work with, the coaches. We were blessed to get the Coaching Staff of the Year [award from the Big Ten], which is how I look at it. Not Coach of the Year, Coaching Staff of the Year. All the guys in that locker room have been awesome." ■ ALL SPORTS Penn State reaches Big Ten milestone with football championship SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE Penn State play- ers and coaches revel in their first undisputed Big Ten title since 1994. Photo by Steve Manuel

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